The UK peptide research and therapeutics sector is evolving rapidly, with significant developments in clinical trials, investment, and regulatory oversight. This report presents up-to-date statistics to inform researchers, clinicians, and industry stakeholders about the current landscape and future trends.
Market Size, Investment, and Economic Impact
- The UK life sciences sector contributes £17.6bn to the economy, supports 126,000 skilled jobs and delivers 17% of UK business R&D. (abpi.org.uk)
- Between 2017 and 2024, UK-based biotechs raised over $10 billion in venture capital, more than any other European country. (abpi.org.uk)
- Life sciences foreign direct investment into the UK was around 58% lower in 2023 (£795 million) than in 2017 (£1,893 million). (abpi.org.uk)
- The peptide therapeutics market was valued at £131.95 billion in 2025. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Market projections forecast growth to £334.95 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.91%. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Another analysis projects the market reaching £70.20 billion by 2031 at a 7.16% CAGR. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
Research, Clinical Trials, and Innovation
- In 2024, UK universities produced 399 pharmaceutical spinouts, more than any other sector. (abpi.org.uk)
- More than 170 peptides are in active clinical development, with over 280 peptide drugs undergoing preclinical and clinical studies. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Currently, 38 peptide drugs are in phase III clinical trials. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Since 2000, 33 non-insulin peptide drugs have received approval worldwide. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Recent approvals include 12 peptides fast-tracked through the EMA’s PRIME scheme in 2024. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- The FDA granted orphan-drug status to 47 peptide candidates in 2024, up from 32 in 2023. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- UK cell and gene therapy (CGT) companies raised around £200 million of venture capital in 2023, which enabled the UK to initiate 47 CGT clinical trials in 2024. (abpi.org.uk)
- 9.5% of the world’s advanced therapy trials are recruiting patients in the UK. (abpi.org.uk)
Regulation, Access, and Compliance
- The UK invests around 9% of its healthcare spend in medicines, compared with 20% in Japan, 17% in Spain and 14% in Germany. (abpi.org.uk)
- Just 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications in the UK, compared to 90% in Germany. (abpi.org.uk)
- High clawback rates on pharmaceutical companies’ revenues, at 23.5% on newer medicines in 2023, dampen investor confidence. (abpi.org.uk)
- Other European countries have much lower clawback rates, such as 5.7% in France, and 7% in Germany. (abpi.org.uk)
- Between 2017 and 2023, the UK’s ranking for phase III industry trials fell from 4th to 8th, while its share of global recruitment fell to 2.6% in 2022. (abpi.org.uk)
- ABPI data shows that more than 60 medicines/indications did not launch in the UK or were delayed between 2019/20 and 2022/23. (abpi.org.uk)
- WADA’s 2026 Prohibited List has S2 peptide hormones, growth factors and related substances as prohibited at all times. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
Safety, Efficacy, and Adverse Events
- Immunogenicity remains the primary safety concern, with some peptides causing antibody formation in up to 49% of patients during trials. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Taspoglutide development halted during Phase III trials after ADA formation occurred in 49% of subjects, with 31 of 51 patients withdrawing due to allergic or anaphylactoid reactions. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- MHRA received 7,228 reports of gastrointestinal reactions with GLP-1RAs for weight management, including 68 hospitalisations. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- FAERS analysis identified 287,201 adverse events associated with GLP-1RAs, with Ozempic showing 43.9% serious adverse events. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- Peptide cancer vaccines produced six vaccine-related severe adverse events in 500 patients. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
- CJC-1295 purity ranged from 1.7% to 100%, and TB-500 from 3.2% to 99.9% in testing. (midshirelabs.co.uk)
Academic and Research Infrastructure
- 16 of the world’s top 100 universities for life sciences and medicine provide a deep pool of talent and expertise in the UK. (abpi.org.uk)
- The UK is also a global leader in AI innovation, attracting £3.4 billion in private AI investment in 2025, behind only the US and China. (abpi.org.uk)
How to cite these statistics
To cite these statistics, reference the original sources as indicated in each fact. For example: ‘Source: ABPI, 2025; Midshire Labs, 2026.’
Sources
- UK tumbles down global rankings for pharma investment …
- Peptides Statistics: What the Latest Research Data Reveals …
Compiled by Axiom Labs UK. Every figure is quoted from the linked source as published and may have been updated since. Last reviewed September 2026.
